The highlight of Torres’ 2008 season was his third place finish at
the U.S. Olympic Trials, which secured his first ever Olympic berth, and a
runner-up finish at the USA Cross Country Championships. Torres continued to
improve in the 10,000 meters in 2007 in posting a new personal best with his
fifth place finish at Stanford on April 29 in 27:42.91. Torres found success in
his first season running the 10,000 meters, setting a then personal best time of
28:14.43 in winning at the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships in Indianapolis.
Also in 2006 he was the runner-up in the 12 km race and placed fifth in the 4 km
race at the 2006 USA Cross Country Championships. Torres enjoyed a strong cross
country season in 2005 in finishing as the runner-up in the men's 12 km race at
the USA Championships, and placing fifth in the 4 km race. He went on to an
impressive performance in the short course race at the World Cross Country
Championships, where he placed 13th. Torres' 2005 track campaign was highlighted
by a new personal best in the 5,000 meters with his time of 13:20.57 on May 29
at Palo Alto, Calif. Torres had a successful campaign in 2003, making the finals
at the World Outdoor Championships. His performances earned him his first #1
U.S. ranking. As a senior at the University of Colorado in 2002, Torres won his
first national title at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Terre
Haute, Ind., on Nov. 25. Torres’ triumph came in the course record time of
29:04.7. With his victory, Torres became just the third American in the
previous15 years to win the men’s NCAA Cross Country Championship. He completed
his senior season without losing one race. Torres’ best 5,000m in 2002 of
13:26.0 at Stanford was the second-fastest by an American that season. Jorge,
the elder Torres brother (by 10 minutes) won the 1998 Illinois Class AA State
Cross Country Championship, his third straight state-record, at Peoria’s
Detweiller Park in 14 minutes, which was the fastest state meet time for the
three mile course since 1977. Prior to his three straight titles, he was the
runner-up as a freshman. A week later at the Foot Locker Midwest Regionals in
Kenosha, Wis., he won the qualifying race in 15:04.00 and set the course record
of 15:12 previously held by Bob Kennedy, Adam Goucher and Todd Williams. With
his finish, he became the first boy to qualify for four straight national
championships. He went on to win the Foot Locker National Championships less
than a month later in Orlando, Fla….was an Economics major in CU’s College of
Arts and Sciences.